BOTHELL, WA--(Marketwire - May 10, 2012) - Marina Biotech, Inc. (OTCQX: MRNA), a leading nucleic acid-based drug discovery and development company, today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a Notice of Allowance for patent applications U.S. 12/004,154 ('154), U.S. 10/594,553 ('553), and U.S. 10/505,107 ('107). Further, the European Patent Office provided a notice of an Intent to Grant for European patent application EP09165106.7. The patents expand protection to the Company's liposomal-based delivery capability which includes both the SMARTICLES and DiLA2 platforms as well as an emerging third platform which represents a combination of key delivery attributes from these two platforms.

"We are pleased to see that the USPTO and EPO continue to recognize the significance of our DiLA2 and SMARTICLES delivery technologies," stated Richard Ho, M.D., Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Research and Development at Marina Biotech. "Since the acquisition of the SMARTICLES delivery technology, an amphoteric-based liposomal delivery system, in 2010 from Novosom AG, the Company has invested substantial resources to advance both this technology and the DiLA2 delivery technology, an amino acid-based liposomal delivery system. Part of this endeavor involved determining whether the DiLA2 and SMARTICLES delivery technologies could be integrated, and novel formulations developed that take advantage of the benefits of each platform. To date, our R&D team has successfully developed numerous formulations that represent the successful 'marriage' of these two platforms. We expect to continue to exploit these technologies and utilize them for the effective, efficient and safe delivery of both single- and double-stranded oligonucleotide therapeutics."

The claims of the '154 patent application broadly cover nucleic acid delivery formulations based on novel sterol derivative compounds, and the claims of the '553 patent application cover a broad number of novel amphoteric formulations. Both the '154 and '553 patent applications relate to the Company's SMARTICLES delivery technology. The claims of the EP09165106.7 patent application recite novel formulations that cover nucleic acid delivery formulations based on both the Company's DiLA2 and SMARTICLES delivery technologies. The claims of the '107 patent application cover novel two-tailed cationic lipids, which have application in both the Company's SMARTICLES and DiLA2 delivery technologies.

About Marina Biotech, Inc.

Marina Biotech is a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of oligonucleotide-based therapeutics utilizing multiple mechanisms of action including RNA interference (RNAi) and messenger RNA translational blocking. The Marina Biotech pipeline currently includes a clinical program in Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (a precancerous syndrome) and two preclinical programs -- in bladder cancer and malignant ascites. Marina Biotech entered into an exclusive agreement with The Debiopharm Group for the development and commercialization of the bladder cancer program. In addition, Marina Biotech has entered into an agreement with both Mirna Therapeutics and ProNAi Therapeutics to license Marina Biotech's SMARTICLES® technology for the delivery of microRNA mimics and DNAi, respectively. Marina Biotech's goal is to improve human health through the development of RNAi- and oligonucleotide-based compounds and drug delivery technologies that together provide superior therapeutic options for patients. Additional information about Marina Biotech is available at http://www.marinabio.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements made in this news release may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Federal Securities laws that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and involve factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or suggested. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (i) the ability of Marina Biotech to obtain additional funding in the near term; (ii) the ability of Marina Biotech to attract and/or maintain manufacturing, research, development and commercialization partners; (iii) the ability of Marina Biotech and/or a partner to successfully complete product research and development, including preclinical and clinical studies and commercialization; (iv) the ability of Marina Biotech and/or a partner to obtain required governmental approvals; and (v) the ability of Marina Biotech and/or a partner to develop and commercialize products prior to, and that can compete favorably with those of, competitors. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or suggested in any forward-looking statements are contained in Marina Biotech's most recent periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Marina Biotech assumes no obligation to update and supplement forward-looking statements because of subsequent events.